The 2026 Best Sellers at L'As des jeux: Top 5 by Category
Every month, we publish our Top 10 best sellers. This time, we're taking a step back: here are the games that sold the most at L'As des jeux since the start of 2026, sorted by category. But a ranking doesn't tell the whole story. A great party game can fall flat at a dinner for two, and an excellent strategy game can bore a group that just wants to laugh. That's why each category starts with a short guide: how to recognize a good game of that type, and who it's for.
For each game, you'll find how it plays, who it's for, the number of players, the playing time and the age. With all that, you should be able to find THE game that suits you, or the one to put under the tree.
How we built this ranking: we counted sales from January 1 to early November 2026, in store and online, and added up every version of the same game (French, English, multilingual, special editions). We kept only one game per family (for example, a single entry for the whole Hitster line). Games we're currently out of stock on aren't on the list, so you can leave with the ones that are. This ranking will be updated in January with the full year 2026!
Jump to a category: Party games · Family games · Classics · Card games · Kids' games · Co-op games · Mystery and escape · Two-player games · Strategy games · Solo games
Party games
What makes a good party game? Rules you can explain in two minutes, even to the aunt who never plays. Quick turns, so nobody waits. And above all, moments that get the whole table reacting: a fit of laughter, a victory cry, a wrong answer everyone will talk about all night. A good party game also handles a lot of people and doesn't punish those who play badly. It's the game to bring out at a party, a big family Christmas dinner or after-work drinks with friends.
Who is it for? Groups of 4 or more, people who don't think of themselves as "gamers", and every evening where the main goal is to laugh together.
1 - Hitster
The phenomenon of the last few years, by far. In Hitster, every card hides a song: you scan it with your phone, the music starts, and you have to place it in the right spot on your timeline. No need to know the exact year: you just have to know whether the song came out before, after or between the ones you already have. The first to correctly place 10 hits wins. The base game covers more than 100 years of music, and the line now includes several boxes (Rock, Movies & TV, 100% Franco, Guilty Pleasures, Christmas...). We added them all up here.
It's for you if you want a game that gets everyone singing and dancing, or you're looking for a gift that teens and grandparents will love just as much. You need a smartphone and an internet connection.
Players: 2 to 20
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 16+
2 - Flip 7
Flip 7 is pure suspense. On your turn, you flip cards one at a time to rack up points, but if you flip the same number twice, you lose everything you scored that turn. The deck is deliberately lopsided: one 1, two 2s, three 3s, and so on up to twelve 12s. The longer you keep going, the bigger the risk. Special cards add bonus points, a second chance or freeze an opponent.
It's for you if you love quick games to bring out, simple but stressful decisions, and bursts of laughter when someone pushes their luck a little too far. It fits in a pocket and takes a minute to explain.
Already have Flip 7? Don't miss Flip 7: With a Vengeance (ML). Same idea, but the bonus cards are replaced by downright mean action cards: steal cards, swap them, cut an opponent's points or make them draw more. New 13 cards let you score big... or lose it all. Perfect for tables that love a little backstabbing!
Players: 3 to 18
Playing time: 20 minutes
Age: 8+
3 - Tapple - Ădition QuĂ©bĂ©coise (FR)
A category is revealed (movies, sports, food, celebrities...) and the 10-second timer starts. You have to find an answer that starts with a letter still available on the wheel, press that letter and pass the pressure to the next player. Every letter used disappears for the rest of the round, so the options shrink fast. Run out of time and you're out. This Quebec edition, in French with categories from here at home, is by far our customers' favourite.
It's for you if you love quick word games, the pressure of the clock and the absurd answers people blurt out in a panic. Perfect to warm up an evening.
Players: 2 to 8
Playing time: 15 minutes
Age: 8+
4 - Codenames
Two teams, two spymasters and 25 code names on the table. Only the spymasters know which words hide their agents. Taking turns, they give a single one-word clue that can point to several code names at once, and their team has to guess the right words... while avoiding the other team's and, above all, the dreaded assassin! The first team to find all its agents wins. We counted all versions together, including Codenames Duo for two players and Codenames Pictures.
It's for you if you love team word games, far-fetched clues and lively debates around the table. A must for game nights with friends.
Players: 4 and up (Codenames Duo: 2)
Playing time: 15 minutes
Age: 12+
5 - Taco, chat, poulet... (FR)
Taking turns, each player lays a card in the middle while saying the next word in the series: taco, chat, poulet, poutine, pizza. As soon as the card matches the word being said, everyone slaps the pile, and the last one takes it all! You have to stay sharp and quick, and the slightest mistake or fake-out costs you penalty cards. The goal: be the first to get rid of all your cards. This is the French edition of the hit known in English as Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.
It's for you if you want a frantic speed game that gets everyone shouting and laughing, from the little ones to the grandparents. A game takes 10 minutes, so you'll play several in a row.
Players: 2 to 8
Playing time: 10 minutes
Age: 8+
Family games
What makes a good family game? A game where an 8-year-old and an adult can play on equal footing, without one getting bored or the other feeling lost. Clear rules, games of 15 to 45 minutes, a bit of luck to give everyone a chance, and just enough choices for the grown-ups to enjoy it too. The best family games are also the ones you want to bring out again the next day.
Who is it for? Families with kids about 6 and up, couples getting into games, and anyone who wants something "in between": richer than a party game, less demanding than a strategy game.
1 - Got Five
In Got Five, everyone can see your tiles... except you. Your goal: figure out the five hidden numbers in front of you before the others. Each turn, a new tile is revealed, then you ask a neighbour for a clue: where a tile ranks among your numbers, or how it compares to one of them. All the answers stay visible, and little by little the table turns into one big puzzle that everyone tries to solve in their own way.
It's for you if you love pure logic, those little "eureka!" moments and games that make you think without dragging on. A game lasts a quarter of an hour, and you'll want another right away.
Players: 2 to 4
Playing time: 15 minutes
Age: 8+
2 - Spot It!
Each Spot It! card has several symbols, and any two cards always share exactly one symbol. The challenge: find it and call it out before everyone else. The box includes several mini-games with slightly different rules, which keeps games fresh. With its many versions (Dinosaurs, Bluey, Disney, giant format, waterproof for the beach or the bath...), Spot It! has a place in every family. We added up all versions.
It's for you if you want a game you can explain in seconds, that plays anywhere and where kids often beat the adults. A stocking-stuffer classic.
Players: 2 to 8
Playing time: Under 15 minutes
Age: 6+
3 - Miams
Miams is a dice race to 50 points. Each turn, you roll your dice to make the best combinations (pair, three of a kind, four of a kind, full house or even a perfect Miams), then check off the result on your sheet to earn hearts. Along the way, you can pick up Miams cards that change the odds or give you unique effects. Used well, they turn an average roll into an explosion of points.
It's for you if you like Yahtzee but want a little more: the fun of rolling dice, with real choices and combos to build. It even plays solo.
Players: 1 to 5
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 10+
4 - Harmonies
In Harmonies, you build a small living world by placing coloured tokens that form 3D landscapes: you stack mountains, lay out rivers and grow trees. Each landscape creates habitats where animals come to settle, and every good placement scores points. The rules are quick and the pace is relaxing, but there's a lot to optimize. Harmonies has won several awards, including the 2024 Golden Geek for Medium Game of the Year, and its Crescendo and Pulse expansions were also a big hit this year.
It's for you if you love beautiful, calm games, little placement puzzles and the pleasure of watching your board come to life. It also plays solo.
Players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 30 to 45 minutes
Age: 10+
5 - Splendor
In Splendor, you're a Renaissance gem merchant. On your turn, you take a single action: collect gem tokens, reserve a card for later or buy a development. Every card you buy becomes a permanent resource that makes your next purchases easier: your small business slowly grows into an empire, and the nobles come to visit. Rules that fit on the corner of a table, and a depth that makes it a must-have.
It's for you if you're looking for a first strategy game, elegant and quick, to play as a family, or a modern classic for your collection.
Players: 2 to 4
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 10+
The great classics
What makes a good classic? A game everyone already knows, or that you learn in two minutes because it feels familiar. No need to read the rules: there's always someone at the table who knows how to play. Classics go across generations, play just as well at the cottage as at the kitchen table, and stay fun even after the hundredth game.
Who is it for? Family gatherings with a wide mix of ages, grandparents who want to play with their grandkids, and anyone who prefers a sure bet.
1 - UNO
Does UNO even need an introduction? You match colours or numbers with the card on top of the pile, play action cards to slow the others down, and above all, don't forget to shout UNO when you're down to one card. With all versions added up (Original, Flip, No Mercy, Golf and the rest), UNO is still the king of classics at our store. Versions like UNO Flip, with its double-sided deck, or the much meaner UNO No Mercy give a second wind to those who know the original by heart.
It's for you if you want a game everyone already knows how to play, from the 7-year-old to the uncle who never plays.
Players: 2 to 10
Playing time: 10 minutes per round
Age: 7+
2 - Track 10
In Track 10, the goal sounds simple: complete a run of cards from 1 to 10 before everyone else. But your opponents have a whole arsenal of special cards to block you, slow you down or sabotage your sequence, and you have the same weapons against them. Games are quick, lively and unpredictable, and the compact box sets up in seconds. Bonus: it's a Quebec-made game from Gladius.
It's for you if you love competitive, interactive card games with just the right amount of strategy and dirty tricks to keep everyone hooked until the very last turn.
Players: 2 to 6
Playing time: 20 to 30 minutes
Age: 8+
3 - Mille Bornes
The goal of Mille Bornes: travel 1,000 kilometres before everyone else. Along the way, your opponents attack you (accident, flat tire, out of gas, red light, speed limit), and you have to find the fix: repairs, spare tire, gas, green light... Even better, Safety cards protect you for the whole game and make you puncture-proof, a driving ace or an emergency vehicle!
It's for you if you want a timeless classic that everyone can play, perfect to bring on a trip or to the cottage.
Got Nintendo fans at home? Try Mille Bornes Mario Kart, the very popular version where you race around a track with the video game's iconic items: bananas, stars and shells to slow your opponents down. Same simple rules, 15-minute games, 2 to 6 players, ages 7 and up. We counted sales of Mille Bornes, Mille Bornes Mario Kart and Mille Bornes Express together.
Players: 2 to 8
Playing time: 20 to 45 minutes
Age: 6+
4 - Chromino - Wooden Edition
Chromino is a bit like dominoes, but with colours instead of numbers. On your turn, you place one of your tiles touching the ones already in play, and at least two colours have to match. The first to place all their tiles wins. This wooden edition is nicer and more durable than the old plastic one, and the rules adapt to several difficulty levels. You can even play it solo.
It's for you if you're looking for a calm, multigenerational game that keeps the mind sharp, and you appreciate beautiful materials.
Players: 1 to 8
Playing time: 20 minutes
Age: 7+
5 - Jok-R-ummy
Jok-R-ummy is the card game that comes out at every family gathering. Each player tries to complete their program cards as fast as possible, with the precious help of the jokers. It's easy to learn whether you're new to cards or an old pro, and it's one of the rare games that truly breaks down the barriers between kids and adults: everyone just gets together for the fun of playing. Its Duel version, for two players, was also a hit this year.
It's for you if you're looking for THE family party game, the one you play for hours while chatting.
Players: 2 to 6
Playing time: 60 minutes
Age: 10+
Card games
What makes a good card game? A small box hiding a big game. The best card games travel everywhere (the cottage, a trip, a restaurant), set up in 30 seconds and still give you real choices every turn. They're often affordable, which makes them perfect stocking stuffers or office gift-exchange presents.
Who is it for? People who love to play often, anywhere and for a long time, fans of traditional card games looking for something new, and families who want a game to leave out on the kitchen table.
1 - Skyjo (FR)
Skyjo is easy to learn but surprisingly strategic. Your goal: finish with as few points as possible. In front of you is a grid of 12 cards, with only two face up at the start. On your turn, you take a card (face up from the discard pile or face down from the deck) and decide whether to swap it with one of yours or throw it away. One rule makes the game especially satisfying: a column of three identical cards disappears and no longer counts. With Skyjo Action and Skyjo Voyage, it's still one of our biggest sellers. The cards are language-independent; only the rulebook is in French.
It's for you if you love card games where you take small calculated risks, and you want a game that kids and adults enjoy equally.
Players: 2 to 8
Playing time: 15 to 45 minutes
Age: 8+
2 - Five Crowns
Five Crowns uses a special five-suit deck and wild cards that change every round. You start with 3 cards in the first round, 4 in the second, and so on, and the goal is to make runs and sets to keep your score as low as possible. Since the wild card changes every round, you constantly have to rethink how you play. The Peg and Travel versions are included in the count.
It's for you if you like rummy and set-collection games, and you want a family card game that feels new from one round to the next.
Players: 1 to 7
Playing time: 30 to 45 minutes
Age: 8+
3 - Skip-Bo
In Skip-Bo, you have to empty your personal stockpile by building sequences from 1 to 12 in the middle of the table. On your turn, you draw, then choose what to play: a card from your hand, your discard piles or your stockpile. Timing is everything, especially with the precious Skip-Bo cards, which act as wild cards and can turn the game around. Play now or wait? Block an opponent or speed up? Every turn asks the question.
It's for you if you want a family card game that's easy to learn but has enough decisions that you never get tired of it.
Players: 2 to 6
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 7+
4 - 50 missions (FR)
In 50 missions, you all play together. There are four piles of cards in the middle of the table, and you play cards of the same colour or the same value on them to complete the missions: all blue or green cards, all odd cards, all cards of 3 or less... As soon as a mission is completed, a new one arrives. The goal: complete 50 of them, without ever revealing what's in your hand.
It's for you if you love games where you win together and have to understand each other without saying everything. A great family challenge that even plays solo.
Players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 20 minutes
Age: 8+
5 - Trio
In Trio, you're trying to collect three identical cards. To do it, you reveal cards one at a time: a random card on the table, or the lowest or highest card in a player's hand, including your own. If the first two match, you keep going; if not, everything goes back face down and you have to remember it! It's a mix of memory and deduction, with lots of "oh no, I knew it!". Several variants are included to change things up.
It's for you if you're looking for a clever little card game that works as well with family as with friends, and fits in a bag.
Players: 3 to 6
Playing time: 15 minutes or less
Age: 7+
Kids' games
What makes a good kids' game? Rules a child can understand on their own after one or two games, components they want to touch, and games short enough to respect their attention span. A good kids' game isn't just entertainment: it teaches them to wait their turn, observe, count, win... and lose. And the best part is when the parents have as much fun as the kids.
Who is it for? Kids from about 4 to 8, parents who want screen-free quality time, and grandparents looking for a gift that will actually get used.
1 - Clac Clac (FR)
In Clac Clac, 36 discs are spread across the table, each with 3 symbols in 3 colours. Each turn, you roll 2 dice that show which symbol to find and in which colour, then everyone grabs as many matching discs as they can at the same time. The discs are magnetic, so "clac! clac!", they stack up like magic... but you can only use one hand! When all the discs are picked up, the tallest stack wins.
It's for you if you're looking for an observation and speed game that always gets kids excited, and takes 10 minutes to play.
Players: 2 to 6
Playing time: 10 minutes
Age: 4+
2 - Mission Bonbons (FR)
In the master candy maker's workshop, the gummy bears have come to life and it's chaos! Each player has to seal three bags of candy before the others. On your turn, you draw two cards, then start a new bag, add bears of the right flavour or discard a bear to use its power: draw cards, take a card back, steal from an opponent... What makes Mission Bonbons unique is its four game modes of increasing difficulty, which grow with your child year after year.
It's for you if you're looking for a first "real" card game for your child, one that will grow with them.
Players: 2 to 5
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 5+
3 - Croque-Carotte (FR)
Get ready for a wild bunny race to the carrot at the top of the hill! But the path is full of surprises: every now and then, holes open up and the bunnies fall in, a mole pushes them aside, and a drawbridge or fence can block the way. The first bunny to reach the carrot wins. Croque-Carotte, known in English as Funny Bunny, is a kids' classic with more than 10 million copies sold.
It's for you if you're looking for a very first board game: the rules take seconds to learn and the whole family can play.
Players: 2 to 4
Playing time: 10 to 15 minutes
Age: 4+
4 - L'Ăźle des Mookies (FR)
L'Ăźle des Mookies is a quick two-player game that kids and grown-ups both love. Each player takes a card on their turn and places it in front of them to collect the most Mookies of each family and win trophies. Watch out for the spider that's just waiting for a chance to play a trick on you! Game after game, young players discover majority strategy... and surprise their parents. After the game, you can even explore the island with the poster and give names to the Mookies you met. It won the 2026 As d'Or Children's Game of the Year.
It's for you if you're looking for a two-player game to play with your child, with very simple rules but real little choices.
Players: 2
Playing time: 10 minutes
Age: 4+
5 - Piou Piou
Panic in the henhouse: the eggs have to hatch before the fox steals them! To lay an egg, you need a rooster, a hen and a nest. To hatch it, you need two hens to sit on it. And to chase off the fox, you need the strength of two roosters. Once it hatches, the chick is safe. The first player with 3 chicks wins.
It's for you if you want a cute little card game that teaches kids to make combinations and decisions, without them even noticing.
Players: 2 to 5
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 6+
Co-op games
What makes a good co-op game? In a co-op game, everyone plays on the same team against the game: you win together or lose together. A good co-op game creates tension (the game has to be hard to beat!) and gives everyone a real role, so one player doesn't end up deciding everything for the others. Many of the best games in this category limit communication: you have to understand each other without saying everything, and that's where the magic happens.
Who is it for? Families where losing leads to tears, kids who are sore losers, couples who'd rather team up, and anyone who loves solving a challenge together.
1 - Bandido
A bandit is escaping through the tunnels he dug under his cell, and you have to block every exit! You start with a big starting card that has 6 exits. Taking turns, you play a tunnel card connected to the existing tunnels, trying to reduce the number of exits. If every way out is blocked before the deck runs out, you all win. If not, viva Bandido! We counted Bandido, Bandida and Bandido Alcatraz together.
It's for you if you want a simple little co-op game, perfect for teaching kids to play as a team. It even plays solo.
Players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 6+
2 - The Game
It's called The Game because you all play together against the game. The goal: play every card onto four piles, two going up and two going down. A little trick to help you: you can jump back by exactly 10. But here's the catch: you're not allowed to say the value of the cards in your hand. You'll have to cooperate, trust each other and not crack when the pressure rises! Several versions added up, including Haut en couleur and the 10th anniversary edition.
It's for you if you love challenges that seem simple but are fiendish, and games where you understand each other with half a word.
Players: 1 to 5
Playing time: 20 minutes
Age: 8+
3 - Take Time
In Take Time, silence is golden. Together, you have to place 12 cards face down around a clock, without saying a word once the cards are chosen. Each round adds new rules, called Tests, that shake up your habits and put your coordination to the test. With 40 progressive scenarios, every game is a new challenge to take on together. Fans of The Mind or Hanabi will love it.
It's for you if you love team puzzles, deduction and that amazing moment when everyone understands without anyone saying a thing.
Players: 2 to 4
Playing time: 30 to 45 minutes
Age: 10+
4 - Bomb Busters (FR)
Bomb Busters puts you in the shoes of a bomb disposal expert, part of a team facing a bomb about to go off. Each player only sees their own wires but has to guess the others' through deduction and very limited communication. On your turn, you point at a teammate's wire and call its value... hoping you're right, because a mistake moves the detonator forward. With 66 missions whose rules evolve, the game keeps renewing itself.
It's for you if you love logic challenges, tension and games where every decision matters. Perfect for groups who like to think together.
Players: 2 to 5
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 10+
5 - The Gang (FR)
The Gang is a co-op poker game inspired by Texas Hold'em. Each player gets two cards, then community cards are revealed in the middle. Nobody is allowed to talk about their cards, but the whole team has to rank itself from the weakest hand to the strongest by silently passing numbered chips. If the order is right, a safe opens; if not, the alarm goes off. Crack three safes before three alarms and the heist is a success!
It's for you if you love poker but would rather play with your friends than against them. No need to be a poker expert to join in.
Players: 3 to 6
Playing time: 20 minutes
Age: 10+
Mystery and escape games
What makes a good mystery or escape game? A story that makes you want to know what happens next, varied puzzles (to observe, combine and deduce) and that satisfying moment when the piece falls into place. The best ones offer progressive hints, so a stuck group can move forward without being handed the answer. Most are played as a team, and many can only be played once: it's an experience, a bit like a movie you live together.
Who is it for? Fans of escape rooms, crime novels and puzzles, and groups of friends or families with teens who like to think things through together.
1 - Unlock!
Unlock! is the collection of escape games you play at home. Each box holds a card-based adventure: as a team, you search the scene, spot clues that are sometimes well hidden and solve visual, audio and logic puzzles. The free app adds background music, hints, penalties and the famous countdown. The Short Adventures, short, affordable adventures that are easy to carry around, were especially popular this year. All boxes are counted together, in French and in English.
It's for you if you loved an escape room and want to relive the experience in your living room. The Short Adventures are perfect to start with.
Players: 1 to 6
Playing time: 30 to 45 minutes (Short Adventures)
Age: 10+
2 - EXIT - Advent Calendar 2026 (FR)
In this Advent calendar, you're signed up for the 24-Day Race Around the World, and the prize is the right to organize Christmas for all eternity! Every day from December 1 to 24, you read the chapter of the day, discover the material hidden behind the door and solve a puzzle. The solution tells you which door to open the next day. If a puzzle stumps you, progressive hints help you get back in the race. Its beginner level suits families who want to discover the EXIT line.
It's for you if you're looking for a little daily game ritual all through December, solo or with the family. You need to buy it before December 1!
Players: 1 player or 1 team
Playing time: One puzzle a day for 24 days
Age: 10+
3 - Chronicles of Crime (FR)
London, present day. A body has just been found in Hyde Park, and you're the one assigned to the case. Chronicles of Crime is a co-op investigation game that combines a board game with an app: you scan locations, characters and objects to question suspects, find evidence and arrest the culprit before it's too late. The box includes five scenarios, and several more are available in the app.
It's for you if you love crime shows and want to lead a real investigation, with interrogations and false leads.
Players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 60 to 90 minutes
Age: 12+
4 - Medical Mysteries: Miami (FR)
This time, the investigation takes place in a packed Miami emergency room. Your team of doctors has to save four patients before the clock hits zero. For each case, you conduct the admission interview, go through the medical file, order the right tests and consult the right specialists to find the illness in time. No medical knowledge needed: the cards and booklets give you everything you need. It's the second scenario in the series, after New York.
It's for you if you love medical shows like House or Grey's Anatomy and want to play diagnostician as a team.
Players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 60 minutes
Age: 14+
5 - MicroMacro: Crime City
No board, no long texts: in MicroMacro, all the action takes place on a huge black-and-white illustrated city map packed with details. Behind its quiet look, Crime City hides thefts, disappearances and even murders. As a team, you scour the map to find clues, follow suspects from one scene to the next and solve each case. It's a bit like a grown-up "Where's Waldo?" turned into a detective story.
It's for you if you love observing, hunting for tiny details and solving short cases, one at a time.
Players: 1 to 4
Playing time: 15 to 45 minutes per case
Age: 10+
Two-player games
What makes a good two-player game? A game designed for two, not a four-player game that's been scaled down. With two, every decision directly affects the other player: you watch each other, block each other, set traps for each other. The best two-player games set up quickly (perfect for a weeknight), offer lots of interaction and make you want a rematch right away.
Who is it for? Couples, roommates, best friends, a parent and their teen, and anyone who often plays one-on-one.
1 - Splendor Duel
Splendor Duel isn't just Splendor for two: it's a brand-new game by the same designers (Marc André and Bruno Cathala). You'll find the Renaissance jewellers theme and the idea of collecting gems to buy cards that make your next purchases easier. But there's a shared board, pearls, privileges and royal favours, and above all much more interaction: every gem you take can open an opportunity for your opponent. Its expansion Les faussaires was also very popular.
It's for you if you loved Splendor, or you're looking for an elegant, tense two-player game where every move counts.
Players: 2
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 10+
2 - Sky Team (FR)
Sky Team puts you in the cockpit of an airliner with one goal: land safely. One player is the pilot, the other the co-pilot, and you have to place your dice in silence to manage every system: stabilize the plane, control the speed, deploy the flaps and landing gear, talk to the control tower. Each scenario features a new airport with its own challenges (turbulence, traffic, weather), so the game grows with you.
It's for you if you want to team up with your partner instead of playing against each other, and you love challenges that get tougher and tougher.
Players: 2
Playing time: 20 minutes
Age: 10+
3 - Agent Avenue (FR)
Welcome to a spy neighbourhood full of animals! In Agent Avenue, each turn you play two cards: one face up, the other face down. Your opponent chooses which one they take, and you apply the effect of the other. This little "I cut, you choose" idea creates constant tension: bluffing, deduction and collecting agents all come together to catch the opposing spy. It can be played with up to 4 in teams, but it really shines with two.
It's for you if you love quick games where tactics and bluffing are at the heart of every decision.
Players: 2 to 4 (best with 2)
Playing time: 15 to 20 minutes
Age: 8+
4 - Toy Battle
In Toy Battle, you send your toys into battle on the bedroom floor. On your turn, you do just one thing: draw two toys, or place a toy on the board and apply its effect. The goal: capture your opponent's base or earn enough medals, depending on the board you use. It's all about the right toy, in the right place, at the right time. The rules fit in a few lines, but the choices are really interesting. It's available in French and in English.
It's for you if you're looking for a quick little head-to-head game, ideal for a weeknight or to introduce a teen to strategy games.
Players: 2
Playing time: 15 minutes
Age: 8+
5 - Tag Team (FR)
Tag Team is an arcade fighting game in card form. You pick 2 fighters out of 12 characters, build their shared deck and set up your fatal combo. Round after round, you add new cards to your deck without changing their order: your cards then trigger on their own, so it's all about how you program them. With 66 possible fighter pairings, every duel is different. A Quebec-made game from Le Scorpion Masqué.
It's for you if you grew up with Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, or you love fast-paced deck-building games full of twists.
Players: 2
Playing time: 15 to 30 minutes
Age: 10+
Strategy games
What makes a good strategy game? A game where your decisions matter more than luck. You plan a few moves ahead, manage resources, build something that gets stronger as the game goes on, and walk away thinking "next time, I'll try something else". A good strategy game doesn't have to be long or complicated: the best ones have clear rules and great depth. Games often last from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.
Who is it for? People who love to think, optimize and watch their plan come together, players who've done the rounds of family games and want to move up a level, and teens and adults who love a challenge.
1 - Wingspan
In Wingspan, you're a bird enthusiast trying to attract the finest specimens to your wildlife preserve. Every bird you play triggers actions in one of your three habitats: gain food from the dice in the bird feeder, lay beautiful little coloured eggs, or draw new cards from hundreds of unique birds. Little by little, your rows of birds turn into an engine that really takes off. The Pocket format and the Americas expansion were very popular this year. We counted the French and English editions together.
It's for you if you love nature and gorgeous games, and you're looking for a calm, approachable strategy game. It also plays solo.
Players: 1 to 5
Playing time: 40 to 70 minutes
Age: 10+
2 - Dewan
In Dewan, you lead a tribe trying to survive in a world where territory is scarce and contested. Each turn, you choose: add Terrain cards to your hand, or spend those cards to spread your influence on the map. Explored areas offer berries, fire becomes a key resource, and every camp you set up brings your tribe closer to its goals. The pace is brisk, decisions are tight, and the tension builds as the map fills up. It's available in French and in English.
It's for you if you love area control games where planning makes the difference, without the game dragging on.
Players: 2 to 4
Playing time: 45 to 60 minutes
Age: 10+
3 - Moon Colony Bloodbath
Moon Colony Bloodbath hands you a colony on the Moon... that is bound to end badly. You build your colony card by card and manage your resources and colonists while disasters pile up and the chaos grows. The goal isn't so much to survive as to keep your colony standing longer and in better shape than everyone else's. It's a tableau-building game with a wonderful dark sense of humour. It's available in French and in English.
It's for you if you love management games with an offbeat theme, and the idea of watching everything collapse... a little slower than next door. It also plays solo.
Players: 1 to 5
Playing time: 45 to 90 minutes
Age: 14+
4 - ForĂȘt Mixte - Smoky Mountains (FR)
The brand-new box in the ForĂȘt Mixte series (known in English as Forest Shuffle) takes you to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Each card you play is either a tree or animals and plants that settle around your trees. Turn after turn, you build the richest ecosystem you can before the third winter ends the game. New in this box: water! Your trees can host a river that attracts otters, herons and muskrats, not to mention the black bear and the bobcat. The base game of the series won the Deutscher Spiele Preis. This box is standalone: no need for the original game.
It's for you if you love nature and card games where you build combos, and you're looking for a 2026 new release that plays well with 2 to 5.
Players: 2 to 5
Playing time: 60 minutes
Age: 10+
5 - Faraway
Welcome to Alula, a mysterious continent whose landscapes change with the seasons. In Faraway, you play your cards one at a time to map out your expedition, but scoring happens in reverse: you flip the cards from last to first, and each card only scores what the cards played AFTER it allow. That little twist completely changes how you think and leads to games full of "ah, I should have!". The rules take 5 minutes to explain, and a game lasts under 30 minutes.
It's for you if you love short games that really make you think, with an original mechanic you've never seen anywhere else.
Players: 2 to 6
Playing time: 15 to 30 minutes
Age: 10+
Solo games
What makes a good solo game? A challenge that keeps renewing itself, short games you can play in a quiet moment, and the satisfaction of beating your own score or clearing a harder level. Solo games range from little pocket puzzles to card games where you run a city or a kingdom. They're also great options for trips, waiting rooms and quiet evenings.
Who is it for? People who live alone or often play alone, fans of puzzles and sudoku, and kids who love to challenge themselves.
1 - SmartGames IQ games
IQ Puzzler Pro, IQ XOXO, IQ Waves, IQ Stars... These little pocket puzzles sold all year long. Each one comes with a booklet of challenges that get harder and harder: you place the pieces as shown in the starting setup, then you have to complete the grid. The most popular, IQ Puzzler Pro, offers 120 challenges in three game modes, in 2D and even in 3D with pyramids, in a compact case that's ideal for travel.
It's for you if you're looking for a clever gift for a curious child (or adult!), or a game to keep in the car, on the plane or at the cottage.
Players: 1
Playing time: A few minutes per challenge
Age: 6+ (IQ Puzzler Pro)
2 - Mayor of Chicago (FR)
It's election year in Chicago, and you play an ambitious politician who'll do anything to become mayor. In this solo card game, every card you draw is a tough choice: use it as a new district to grow your city, or flip it to recruit the assistant hiding on the back and use their special power. The retro Prohibition-era atmosphere, with its eagles, elephants and bears in suits, is a delight. Watch out for corruption: it always catches up with you in the end!
It's for you if you love clever little solo games where every card counts, in a box that fits in your pocket.
Players: 1
Playing time: 30 minutes
Age: 12+
3 - Au Griffon fonffon (FR)
In Au Griffon fonffon, you run an inn, and your guests have needs... Your job: make sure everyone gets a good night's sleep. Each turn, you send a sleepy guest to their room, then check that everyone is sound asleep. If something bothers them, they complain, so you have to keep an eye on everyone, welcome new guests and watch the bar. Fill the inn enough to keep the debt collectors at bay!
It's for you if you love little management puzzles with a funny theme, in a mini box that slips in anywhere.
Players: 1
Playing time: 20 minutes
Age: 8+
4 - Les Fiefs de Norbois (FR)
In Les Fiefs de Norbois, your goal is to peacefully unite the kingdom by talking with its leaders. Over eight rounds, you visit eight animal fiefdoms. The colour of each ruler is the trump suit of their fiefdom, and each one asks you to win an exact number of tricks to join your alliance. The further you go, the fewer options you have and the tighter the challenge gets. It's a trick-taking game (like Whist or 500) that you play solo.
It's for you if you love trick-taking card games and want a short, well-crafted solo challenge.
Players: 1
Playing time: 15 to 30 minutes
Age: 10+
5 - Le passe thé (FR)
Le passe thé turns everyday worries into a solo game that's as relaxing as it is strategic. Over eight rounds, you try to brew the perfect cup of tea while worries (bills, stress, distractions) mess up your plans. Each round, new Worry cards shift the order of your Tea cards, and you have to keep reorganizing your hand to get the best score once the tea is steeped. It's part of Button Shy's Simply Solo series, designed by Scott Almes (Tiny Epic Galaxies).
It's for you if you're looking for a modern, soothing little solo game to enjoy with a good cup of tea. A mini box that makes a perfect stocking stuffer.
Players: 1
Playing time: 15 minutes
Age: 8+
Still not sure?
A few quick pointers to help you choose:
- For a party or a big family dinner: Hitster, Flip 7, Tapple or Codenames.
- To play with kids aged 4 to 7: Croque-Carotte, Clac Clac or L'Ăźle des Mookies.
- For a family with kids 8 and up: Got Five, Skyjo, Splendor or Bandido.
- For a couple: Sky Team if you like to team up, Splendor Duel if you like to go head-to-head.
- For an affordable stocking stuffer: Flip 7, Trio, Skyjo or an Unlock! Short Adventure.
- For someone who wants to discover strategy games: Splendor, then Faraway, Wingspan or ForĂȘt Mixte - Smoky Mountains.
- For someone who often plays alone: Mayor of Chicago, Le passe thé or a SmartGames IQ game.
And if you're still unsure, drop by the store or write to us: our team loves helping you find THE right game for the right person. To follow the trends month after month, keep an eye on our monthly Top 10 best sellers.
Play more. Laugh more. Make memories.
The L'As des jeux team
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